Bushfire heads towards South Coast town

A bushfire is heading towards the NSW South Coast town of Hyams Beach, which has been placed on high alert after the blaze devoured a large portion of Jervis Bay peninsula although firefighters are confident they will put out the fire without loss or damage.

Media spokesperson for the NSW Rural Fire Service Cameron Wade said that a hundred firefighters and 20 fire trucks were now stationed at Hyams Beach to combat the blaze which has destroyed about 1900 hectares of the Jervis Bay peninsula.

Mr Wade said that strong winds overnight had pushed the fire over containment lines.

Mr Wade said that no homes were lost in the Jervis Bay peninsula and people who had fled from the area were now returning to their homes.

"A fair slab of the (peninsula) area has been burned out," Mr Wade said. "But there has been no loss, no damage."

Mr Wade said that firefighters were waiting for the fire to reach the edge of Hyams Beach as the fire trucks could not access the blaze while it was in bushland.

"The concern has eased but it is now just a waiting game," he said.

Hyams Bay residents had not been evacuated and Mr Wade said that the fire service was "not that concerned" about the fire spreading beyond the edge of town.

"Wind conditions have eased so we expect the fire to reach the edge of town later today - we'll put it out then," he said.

Last night about 150 people were evacuated to HMAS Creswell naval base at Jervis Bay after fleeing from nearby homes and camp sites in Booderee National Park.

Green Patch, one of Jervis Bay's most popular camping grounds, was believed to have been burnt out, with hundreds of holidaymakers losing tents and being forced to leave belongings behind, a witness said.

The main road into the area, Jervis Bay Road, remained closed, but the RFS said townships including Huskisson and Vincentia were not under threat.